nokia

You mean a view like this?

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Well, it's a decent unblocked view, although it's not a peak view, or view from a peak of a hill, but better than the views of my neighbours on the left, right, opposite and behind. Are you staying there permanently or bunking there temporarily?

Hi CM folks,

I'm sure everyone have their own beautiful homes in CM, but how many can lay claim to one that has a mountain/hill view? I'm not referring to a view of a hill, like Doi Suthep, but a view from a hill?

Unfortunately, most hilly regions are national parks, so no buildings are allowed except for huts of minority tribes'. Only Doi Angkhang & Doi Mae Salong have 4 star hill resorts, but is it really as good as their prices ?

So any decent lodging with a mountain view to recommend to other nature/hill lovers? or must i pack my camping equipment & tents....?

Unless you live too far out a Tuk Tuk is best on Sunday.  The traffic is so bad even though I can park my car at a friend's place I leave it at home. 

The other good thing about that is I can have a few beers while my wife's at the Walking Street.

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This is an excellent idea, better than circling the moat like a 'bumble bee' looking for parking spaces.

> Do you find parking in CM city convenient for your motor vehicles?

Very.  Very rare too that you have to pay something, and then usually just 5 baht.

Some areas it helps to know the back sois though, like when parking near Thapae gate when the Sunday walking street market is on.

I could tell you but then I'd have to torch your vehicle, tow it away and dump it in the moat if you ever park there.  

Cheers,

Chanchao

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dear chanchao, can parking be really convenient if you feel like torching vehicles which parked in your favourite spot & then dumping the blazing inferno into the moat? Wow, what a spectacle it would be. Another new festival to celebrate? a la CM-Paris twin cities celebration?

Seriously the back sois are rather narrow for two pickups to be side by side. I wouldnt want to have a missing or cracked side mirror.

Sometimes, I have problems even finding a place for my motorcycle, where it won't offend some shopkeeper worrying about his "customer strip"... especially along the moats.

No, won't expose my secrets neither, sorry.

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Yes parking can be worrisome, esp when we dont wish offend any shopkeeper, nor blocking somebody's entrance, or park 1km away and walk because it's not cool, and un-Thai! Welcome to the LOS!

Hi CM folks,

Do you find parking in CM city convenient for your motor vehicles? As you all probably know, parking is free in Lotus, Airport Plaza, and 10b-Kad Suan Keau, 20b/hr?-Warorat market etc.

It's no problem if you are on a short errand. Just park alongside any road, hit & run. For longer errands, it's subjected to the no-parking timing indicated on most roads. Where are the good spots to park within the city moat esp on long errands, and for crowded places like the Chang Klang Night Market & Sunday Market?

My UK neighbour parked along Chang Klang Rd during one of the late afternoon no-parking timing because there were many cars parked there. When he came back, alas, his car was the only one left, and being ticketed 400baht by a traffic police.

"When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of worries in his life, most of which had never happened" -Winston Churchill

Thanks chanchao,rishi & p1p for the wise advice.

As long as exchange rate remain in favour of foreign currencies, it's always better to earn overseas and exchange them for the bahts & satangs. Cheers

1) Retail trade in all kinds of goods with an aggregated minimum capital of less than 100 million baht or a minimum capital for each store of less than 20 million baht

2) Wholesale trade in all kinds of goods with a minimum capital for each store of less than 100 million baht

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Even if you did setup a company of the kind, that would get the proper permissions: To get he WP, you'd still have to convince the labor department that by sitting at the Sunday Market, you'd be performing a task, that could not be done by a Thai.

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These numbers sound rather huge when you just trying to make a couple of baht to defray living costs, but it seems that a registered company is the only legal way to go.

Let's say you want to sell some magic cream used by Burmese men. I dont think Thai men would like to have white powder on their face in broad daylight/ moonlight?

Easy answer. Hire a Thai wife or g/g-b/f to man the "shop" Sit a little way apart and, if asked, say you are just there to chat.

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This seems to be a plausible answer. Maybe hire a few kids to sell flowers? What is the legal age in Thailand? 18?

I dont think all the sellers at the Sunday Market stalls have Thai ID right? Esp those minority tribes selling silverware & stuff, since it's difficult for them to get Thai IDs. Ok i know that foreigners Not = minority, but just making a point.

Is anybody aware of whether foreigners are eligible to apply for a licence to sell on the Sunday market on Pratu Thapae? Is WP necessary? Is it true that foreigners are not allowed to start any small business without going through the hassle of setting up a registered company?

Spend your last satang here, and bring more on your next trip!

Yes, it's a beautiful area 

I have some involvement with the school in that village, and I'm up there every month... During the rainy season, a 4WD helps, but it's not really necessary - My co-worker has been there in a songthaew (500 baht!)...

The road continues down the hill and ends up at Huay Tung Thaew reservoir...

For nature lovers, there is so much to see up there. I think the best access is from the Mae Sa valley, up through some of the Hmong villages in the area. Following some of the roads on the 'other side' of the Mae Sa valley road, from Pong Yang village,  will take you into some more 'pristine' areas...

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It's always refreshing to get away from the crowded traffic around the city moat.

Do you actually drive a pickup through the 3km of 'earth shaking',rocky terrain at 5km/hr from the Doi Pui camping area every month, or is there a short cut from Huay Tung Thaew reservoir? My new 4WD Vigo was shaking on all its 4 wheels on 20-30' inclines. i was worried about damage to the suspension & shock absorbers and thought i'm not coming here again.

I saw a new corolla Altis scraping its bottom while making a u-turn at the Doi Pui camping area, and its occupants quickly came out to lighten the load! btw, we didnt walk up to Doi Pui. Anyone did?

4WD newbie

Hi CM folks,

Has anyone been to the hmong village on Doi Pui? The one on the right of the fork,not the commercial hmong village on the left of the fork, and it's after the Doi Pui camping area. The track or unpaved route seems difficult even for 4WD.

Pristine spots for nature lovers are getting fewer and fewer each day,and it seems like 4WD + trekking is a necessity...

~

My needs are also not enough to warrent ADSL as yet.

I sign up for Inet Thailand and just pay for a block of time. It works out to 10 baht/hour and the account is good for a year. They also have local numbers almost all over Thailand, even out in Isaan and on Phuket.

I am with TOT and had a constant 52kbs connection until I moved almost three months ago.  In the new house in Ban Wang Tan, everyone around me gets 52 and I am lucky to get 32kbs. A major nuisance and TOT has sent someone out here FIVE times so far and they shug their shoulders and drive off after about 10 minutes of fumbling at the nearest pole. 

Any suggestions? I am thinking of pitching a complaint to Inet and see if they will coordinate with TOT for me. Maybe if I tell them I am thinking of switching to a satellite?

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It's certainly strange that your neighbours get 52k (are they using Inet too?), and you get a terribly slow 32k. Is your phone line subscribed to call waiting or other value added features? I think the problem lies in your new phone line rather than Inet, assuming your neighbours use Inet. btw, where's Inet's office in CM located?

Anyone tried using the prepaid Dial up cards being sold at TOT office(Airport Plaza) ?

Yes the internet cafe, usually at 15b-20b is definitely the cheapest for those living near the CM city. But it is not so worthwhile for those living 10km from CM city after factoring in the oil cost & the traffic jams/parking.

Yes, ADSL is cost effective for daily internet users. At 1000 baht/mth,it's only 33 baht/day for unlimited hours.

But for occasional users like myself, who checks email perhaps once a week, and living outside the city, the dial up access seems to be a more feasible option at the moment.

So how is the charges like for an hour of usage? 10-20 baht deduction from the prepaid Dial up card and 3b for the line usage?

Thanks folks!

Hi CM folks,

I noticed that TOT sells various prepaid Dial-up cards of various denominations(200-500)baht. Is it a toll-free line or do they still charge an additional 3baht/min for the line usage. i'm a lite user and dont need ADSL/Cable at the moment. Any cost saving advice appreciated. Thanks!

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but for a delivery in Novemeber you wouldn't actually want the real plates and registration done before the end of the year anyway.. Your car will 'seem' a whole year younger by waiting for the new year. That helps some if you ever sell it.

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chanchao, this sounds like an excellent idea but what should i do since the collection date is on 25 nov?

Is the registration of vehicle done at the point of collection or at the full registration & collection of the permanent plate 2 months later? Does it mean i dont have to go to CM immigration this friday to get the certificate of residence in CM until 2 months later? I'm sorry for the many questions, as this is the first time i'm buying a chariot in thailand ... Thanks folks!

I brought mine from Niyom Panich (near the airport) the agent did everything for me. Smooth transaction, however, if you need a red plate sometimes they are out of stock. For the red plate you need to pay a deposit of 3K baht (refundable).

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Niyom Panich quoted a refundable deposit of 3.5k for the red plate.

How much does the normal white number plate cost? Is it included in the car/pickup registration fee of 3k baht ?

> As you know, there isnt many places available for decent breakfasts

Huh.. decent breakfasts are everywhere.. I can pick up food to last me a whole day before even exiting my own soi..  And "hotels & guesthouses excepted": there's enough of those to have breakfast at a different one every day of the year.

I do agree with you on the Tesco parking lot orange juice. :-) Expensive, but nice.

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I suspect water & sugar is added into Tesco parking lot's orange juice to make a profit. I dont much get much juice even after squeezing 1kg or 20baht of oranges.

hi CM folks,

As you know, there isnt many places available for decent breakfasts, except the guesthouses in the city moat surrounded by the narrow sois/lanes. And the shops selling porridge & rice soup are usually packed with the working crowd.

So do you mind sharing your favourite breakfast recipe? Like buying croissants/bread from Carrefour, orange juice from the Lotus carpark, fried dough from local markets, frying sausages/omelettes from Lotus etc. or simply skipping breakfast for a hefty brunch/lunch buffet when most of the eateries are opened!

Yawn... what's for breakfast today? Same as yesterday again?

How about border crossings to Laos with car/motorbike?

Is there a tempory import of vehicle form available at the border ?

Or is applying through a Laos travel agent and in a motor convoy the only legal method to cross Laos? Any experienced folks out there?

Folks, thank you so much for the helpful advice.

I assume that the Toyota dealer near Airport Plaza will give me a red number plate and arrange for the road tax/insurance so that we can drive legally in CM province on the day of collection without any worries.

Dear CM folks,

I will be coming to CM to collect my new Toyota pickup on 25 Nov.

As the agent doesnt really speak much English, what is the proper procedure for foreigners to acquire a new vehicle?

Do i go first to immigration to apply for document that allows a foreigner to buy a vehicle?

Will the toyota agent help to apply for number plate, road tax & insurance or do you do it yourself?

And how long does it take to complete the above, and does it mean that the vehicle cant be used before that? (do i have to hire an elephant to tow the pickup home?? )

Any advice is welcome.

Cheers!

newbie

I think the rationale of charging 200baht to any non-Thai is flawed. Perhaps, they could differentiate between one time tourists and non-Thai residents who stay in thailand for a couple of months every year.

As a semi-permanent resident, i didnt feel good paying 200 baht for the entry to Doi Inthanon NP while Thai only pay 20 baht. I dont think i will be going back there for awhile.

Thailand is beautiful with its scenery, national parks and hotsprings.

What's life in thailand without?

Do these hot air balloons ever drop back to the ground when the fuel is finished, and hit somebody? It's no joke considering the metal frame and dropping from such a distance...

Although English is a world language, and a working language in its native countries, USA, UK, NZ, AUS, it is only restricted to a perfunctory role in most big Asian countries, eg India (Hindi),Indonesia, Malaysia(Malay), Japan, Thailand etc.

Wouldnt it make more sense to learn the language of its closest neighbour, the next leading economic power instead, since most Thai are strongly nationalistic, and seldom travel far beyond their national borders? Furthermore, with the low wages(180baht /day), it will take many months of average wage to travel to English-speaking countries, but only a month's wage to travel to China by plane.

It's unlikely that the English program will be cancelled, but a downgrade of the English program in some institutions is more likely as a third language . Perhaps i should equip myself with a chinese teaching qualification in additional to TEFL.

Any comments from ajarns/teachers/professors?

Will TEFL lose its value to TCFL?

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Mandarin taught in all schools by ’08

Published on October 06, 2005

The Nation

Programme to be phased in from next school year if proposal met with approval from Chaturon. The Education Ministry has announced that all high schools across the nation will have to introduce Mandarin classes by 2008, if a proposed plan is approved.

Khunying Kasama Varawarn na Ayutthaya, permanent secretary for education, yesterday said a new strategy to promote Mandarin and improve the teaching of the language would soon be submitted to Education Minister Chaturon Chaisang for approval.

“With his approval, the strategy will be implemented from the next academic year,” she said.

By 2007, each educational district will be required to have at least one high school with a Mandarin class.

By the 2008 academic year, the proposal requires that all high schools across the country offer classes in Mandarin.

Kasama said the government would help the schools in regards to Mandarin teachers and teaching materials during the first three years. After that, she said they would have to start running the Mandarin classes on their own.

“By then, we also plan to select an outstanding school from each province and appoint it as the centre to promote the teaching of Mandarin in its respective province,” she said, adding that the model school would coach others on how best to teach Mandarin.

Kasama said a Mandarin Teaching Fair would be held in December when Chinese President Hu Jintao visits Thailand.

At the fair, experts from China will offer advice on how best to provide Mandarin classes, Kasama said. Representatives

of big companies that invest in China will also give talks on the importance of being versed in Mandarin to the future economy, while instructors from Asian schools with outstanding Mandarin classes will give lectures on how best to teach the language.

Cultural activities including Chinese brush painting, a singing contest and a speech contest will also be offered for children to show their talent. The fair aims to show that Mandarin is a language that is relevant to people’s lives and about which there are many good examples to learn from, Kasama said.

“Schools with existing Mandarin classes can come and learn more techniques, while those that have no such classes can seek advice,” she added.

In the north, the municipally treated drinking water or tap water is odourless, tasteless. I'm not sure of the lead content etc, but it looks drinkable, but Thai friends say "Mai Dee", no good, so i have to lug 5litre drinking water bottles home from Tesco.

In other countries, like china, the taste of municipally treated drinking water is attrocious. From "rusty taste" due to corroded pipes, to "disinfectant taste" due to seepage from factories and "chlorine taste" due to too much chlorine. The chinese simply boiled it and drink it.

Cars are more suitable if you are averse to wider turning radius during parking.

And if you want a car with a flat-bed cargo area, you can consider 1.6 Nissan NV (400K). Diesel cars are quite rare though...